Actor Ray Winstone is on Jonathan Ross' chat show this evening to discuss his upcoming appearance in The Gentlemen. Ray, 67, is known for playing gangsters with his strong Cockney accent but he reveals a softer side on the programme.
Winstone has worked with many famous directors including Steven Spielberg and after several nominations won a Bafta for his performance in The Proposition. He is famous for his hard-man roles and has become 'film and TV world's go-to guy for cockney hard men', according to The Guardian.
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Meeting Ronnie Kray
With his accent it is clear Ray was born and raised in London. He first lived in Plaistow before moving to Enfield. From a young age he got to know some of London's toughest figures.
At six months old in 1957, he had his first encounter with Ronnie Kray. "He came round to see my dad... and he picked me up and I weed all over his raincoat, he had a brand new raincoat, and everyone kind of went quiet, then Ronnie laughed and everyone laughed and I guess he went off then to have his raincoat cleaned," he told The Independent.
Winstone did not excel academically, and left school with only one CSE, in drama. He had a passion for boxing and became London schoolboy champion at welterweight. The actor has often compared his experience in the ring to stepping out on stage.
Winstone then attended a drama school but got expelled for puncturing the headteacher's car tyres. This did not stop him securing his first role and going on to become the go to hard-man of screen and stage.
'Who's the daddy?'
Winstone's first role was in the 1977 BBC play, Scum as Carlin. It was as this character that he delivered the iconic catchphrase 'Who's the daddy?'. From here he played the tough man in many films and TV series.
His appearances include Birds of a Feather (1989), Ghostbusters of East Finchley(1995), Nil by Mouth (1997), Fanny and Elvis (1999), Hugo (2011) and Snow White and the Huntsman (2102), just to name a few. His famous gritty voice has also landed him parts as a voice over actor including in Rango and The Chronicles of Narnia.
EastEnders daughter
He married Elaine Winstone in 1979, and the couple have three children, one of whom is actress Jaime Winstone. Jaime is best known for her roles in Kidulthood, Dead Set, After Hours and her portrayal of Barbara Windsor in Babs.
But, she also portrayed Peggy Mitchell in a one off EastEnders flashback episode in 2022. On Ross' couch Winstone recalls his daughter's recent 'mafia chic' wedding as the best he had ever been to, leaving him recovering for four days.
The family man also speaks about his relationship with Jaime's son. "It's the most wonderful feeling in the world. It's like seeing your kids grow up again.
"When I was younger, I was working and you didn't get that pleasure so much so you're living it as a grandfather now," Winstone said according to The Daily Mail.
Upcoming appearance in The Gentleman
Winstone is set to appear in The Gentleman, a TV spin off of Guy Ritchie's film of the same name. Winstone plays a career criminal who founded an industrial cannabis empire, Bobby Glass, from the East End.
He tells Ross how he had previously fallen out with the director but they put their differences aside before working together on the new show.
The Jonathan Ross Show will be on Saturday (February 24) at 21.35pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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